RPG Blog Carnival - Untold Layers
Last time I painted the region in which I'd like my adventure to take place. But sometimes it is not enough. Or you just want a hunch of a bigger world so if the players ask if something is up the river you can confidently say "No, sometimes trappers hunt there though" and get on with your adventure. Or really relate where is the capital city in relation to the podunk nowhere shithole your characters adventure in. I like podunk shitholes.
image: crudely drawn map of a fantasy region
Here is the region from the last post. The region of the example adventure is kingdom of Targay. Targay is a wide valley with a river coming through. The materialistic view is presented here https://vdonnutvalley.bearblog.dev/take-a-hexcrawl-and-set-it-free/ and here https://vdonnutvalley.bearblog.dev/sprinkling-region-with-conflicts-and-adventures/. It is boring enough.
It is also because it is kind of the first layer of the world, the "material plane". I imagine it more as layers covering the same ground and not entirely-separate-planes-of-existence. You can slip from one to the other, you may be on material side but elements of the other can slip through. Like in Berserk. Yeah, like in Berserk. It also means you need something to be able to tear through layers or bring them together. Brand of Sacrifice is okay but is very clearly connected to certain IP. Maybe something else?
And that's how we get to the Example Region as well as the topic of RPG Blog Carnival - ... Once you're in the Caves you can explore the dungeon, it is not that deep but there are dangers inside. Undead dangers that seemingly can move through walls and jump between shadows but once destroyed the place is cleared. There is a slight details though, in each corner sits the symbol of Undying Order. If anyone sacrifices even a little bit of their life there - like attacking someone or spilling their own blood - they become marked by the Undying.
image: sample crudely digitally drawn dungeon
image: the same map as above but with additional rooms and corridors marked differently
Some characters may be previously marked. Grey Priests, some Green Priests and Yellow Mystics may have some affiliation to the Undying before and if so they see the difference from the start and may show it to those unmarked. Basically what happens - there are secret tunnels and chambers throughout the dungeon. They are not part of material reality but are closer to Undying. One can recognize them by soil suddenly turning black and wet like clay. It reeks there and sometimes giant bones are a part of tunnel construction - though they cannot be found in the material layer.
Undeath affiliation shows how undead creatures can travel without regards to material reality of the dungeon. And can lead to the Nest. The Nest is sort of the gate to deeper layer of Undeath, if left alone undead creatures will slowly sip through. It may grow or wither depending on subtle changes in the region. One can simply walk inside and find themselves in deeper layers, walking the lands devoid of life, where Undying reigns.
In order to close the Nest the simplest way would be to consecrate it. But the old gods are dead and there is nothing holy in this world anymore. Another way would be to let it wither and close itself, it would be helpful to get rid of any mystical influences tied to undeath (Necromancer Sect?). But there is another way. Yellow and Red Mystics may know rituals and crafts that suppress the influence of Undying. It will take time, months or maybe even years.
What is out there besides caves and a dungeon? On the surface there is creeping influence of Overgrowth. I can say that without shame I copied the idea from Terraria game where there is Crimson biome - the biome where plants and materials are replaced by flesh and blood and generally everything is in the theme of gore.
image: crudely drawn map, kingdom of Targay between mountains, another valley to the north, and long river to the west
First of all in the north on mountains surrounding the region sleeps a dragon. It is not a fairy or arcane magical creature - it is made of cancerous flesh, spreading and growing in chaos. And like giants of old sagas it is sleeping deep slumber, so deep its body was mistaken as a mountain. As long as no one brings Overgrowth layer closer the dragon will stay dormant. Maybe even it'll really turn into a mountain.
Same goes to many other monsters. If you bring the Dimming layers closer all the folk legends of mischievous spirits will come to life. If Overgrowth then all the fleshy monsters, potentially even those hidden inside humans may be visible.
Also it is one thing when everybody can see. But what if only the Mystic of the group is aware? You all walk through the market and then suddenly they can see one trader as this grotesque creature full of scales and hair and teeth in all the wrong places. And if you can see them it means they can see you. The trader smiles at you with very wide mouth just full of teeth to the brim. You learn it is one of better prospering traders here, someone who may even get an audience with the king. Advisor in terms of business. Monster that cannot be simply killed - for in material layer it is just a human. But you can be almost sure it uses situation to further goals of its fallen god.